


Geeking Out

by thatwriterlady



Series: 30 Day Writing Challenge 2016 [14]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 30 Day Writing Challenge 2016, Castiel Likes Dean, Castiel asks Dean out, Cute, Dean Likes Castiel, Flirting, Fluffy, M/M, Nerd Castiel, Nerd Charlie, Nerd Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 15:43:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8584186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: Dean hurries to bring some exciting news to his best friend Charlie, news that can't possibly wait.  She isn't alone when he gets to her house, she's with the most handsome guy Dean has ever seen in his life, and he totally just geeked out in front of this guy...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here is day 14, I do hope you like it. 
> 
> And for the sake of this fic, because I'm behind and not looking to nit pick, geek and nerd are interchangeable. Thank you for your understanding.

**_Day 14: Geeking Out Over Something_ **

****

“Dude!”

 

Dean ran into his best friend’s room waving a piece of paper over his head excitedly but stopped in his tracks the moment he realized she wasn’t alone.

 

“Oh, sorry, didn’t know you had company.”  He pulled the paper to his chest and stared awkwardly at the corner of the bed.  Embarrassing himself in front of Charlie was one thing, but doing so in front of an attractive stranger?  That was something different.  He didn’t know the boy sitting on her bed.  The one that was watching him now.

 

“What’s up, Dean?”  Charlie asked.  That brought Dean back around to the reason he had just driven to her house and raced up to her room.  He grinned and thrust the paper out at her.

 

“They’re hiring extras for the new Star Wars movie!  I say road trip!  It’s next year!”  He exclaimed as she snatched the paper from his hands to read it.

 

“Oh my God!”

 

“I know!”  He cried.

 

“Oh…my… _GOD_!”  The only way to describe her reaction was to liken it to a Harpy’s shriek.  It made Dean and the boy sitting next to her both cringe.

 

“It’s cool, right?  We’re doing this?”  He was almost bouncing from foot to foot as he waited for her answer.  There was no one else that wanted to drive halfway across the US with to do real cosplay that would be in a movie with. 

 

“Hell yes!  We are so doing this!  But we have to plan it out first, so we have enough money for the trip.  Gas, hotel, food, all of it.  We have to save every penny we have!”  She was already on her phone and he knew she was checking her bank account.

 

“What exactly is that?”  The other boy suddenly spoke up and Dean’s attention snapped instantly over to him.  Maybe “boy” wasn’t the right term.  No “boy” spoke with a voice _that_ deep.  Charlie handed him the paper and he took it, reading over it and smiling.  “Oh, this sounds amazing.  I bet there would be a large fight scene and that’s why they need so many extras.”

 

“You know, you’re right, and those scenes are always so epic.”  She agreed.

 

Dean cleared his throat and she looked up at him as though she just realized she hadn’t introduced them. 

 

“Oh, sorry!  Dean, this is my cousin, Cas.  He just moved to town.  Cas, this is my best friend, Dean.”

 

Cas looked up and smiled.  Dean’s heart raced at the sight.  Fuck, he was attractive!

 

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Dean.  It’s very nice to finally meet you.”  He offered his hand and Dean shook it.

 

“I think she has mentioned you too.  You have a brother named Gabe?  Likes to pull pranks?”

 

Cas rolled his eyes even as he nodded.  “Yes, my brother thinks he’s hilarious.  The rest of the family disagrees.”

 

Dean chuckled as he found a spot further up on the bed and sat down.  Charlie really needed more than a single beanbag chair in here or the bed to sit on.

 

“Cas transferred to KSU so he’s going to be staying here with us.”  Charlie explained.  Dean arched an eyebrow.  So Cas was older.  He wondered just _how much_ older.  And did he like guys?  These were the important questions.

 

“Cool.  I’m heading to KSU in the fall.”  Dean hoped he sounded casual.  Cas smiled.

 

“I attended Charlie’s graduation party last week.  I don’t think I saw you there though.” 

 

“I wasn’t.  My parents decided to throw mine the same weekend, and we had relatives coming in from out of state.  I wanted to come.  I came over the next day to give her my gift.”  Dean said.

 

“Dean bought me the signed Kylo Ren bobble head.”  Charlie pointed to a shelf over her bed where there were probably 50 or more of the collectable dolls, all still in their boxes.  Cas looked up at them but couldn’t pick out the specific one she meant.

 

“That’s amazing.  Did you go to a convention to get it signed?”  Cas turned back to look at him and Dean noticed for the first time just how blue his eyes were.

 

“Yeah, I work down at my uncle’s garage and between now and when I leave for school he’s giving me full time hours.  I’ve been working since I was 14 so we could do conventions.”  Dean explained. 

 

“That’s really cool.  I’ve been to several myself.  I love them.”  Cas smiled wider.  Dean really wished he knew which way this guy swung. 

 

“There’s one this weekend up in Indianapolis.  Dean and I were debating on whether we wanted to make the drive, but if you want, maybe you can come with us?”  Charlie directed the words at her cousin, even as she looked at Dean.

 

“It’s totally cool with me.”  Dean said quickly.  Cas raised an eyebrow as he smiled.

 

“You guys are sure?  I wouldn’t be intruding?”

 

“No, not at all.”  Dean winced internally at how fast he had responded.  Charlie narrowed her eyes at him.  Shit, she was on to him.

 

“So Cas and me, we were talking about going down to the comic book store.  He’s almost as big of a nerd as you and me.  You want to come?”  She asked.

 

“Yeah, sure.”  If it gave Dean a chance to figure out whether there was a possibility Cas might be interested, he was going to take it.

 

“Then you drive, so Cas gets to experience Baby.”  Charlie got up to dig her shoes out of her closet.

 

“Baby?”  Cas questioned.

 

“Just you wait.”  Dean winked, grinning at the way the man’s eyebrows shot up.

 

“Come on, let’s go.”  Charlie was out the door a second later and both men followed.

 

Outside Cas’ jaw actually dropped.

 

“This is Baby?”  He gingerly touched the hood, as though afraid of leaving fingerprints on her pristine paint.

 

“Sure is.  ’67 Chevy Impala.  She’s my pride and joy.”  Dean patted the roof of the car as he opened the driver’s side door.  “There’s not much that’s more beautiful than this car.”  It came out flirtier than he’d intended but Cas had that damn eyebrow arching again and that was hot.  And the bastard was smiling, as though he knew _exactly_ what Dean was doing.

 

“I’d have to say I agree.”

 

He went to get into back but Charlie shoved him towards the front seat and climbed into the back herself.

 

“You need to experience Baby the right way.  Ride up front with Dean.”  She said.  Cas didn’t argue, he simply climbed into the passenger seat beside Dean.

 

“You’ve done an amazing job with her, Dean.”  He observed, looking around the interior.  Dean preened at the compliment.

 

“My dad bought her before I was born but about 5 years ago he got in an accident and basically totaled her.  We worked together to completely rebuild her.  I’ve put my blood, sweat, and tears into restoring her.  Even after my dad gave up, I kept going.  It’s why this year, for my 18th birthday, he gave her to me.  Said I deserved her more than he did.” 

 

“That’s fantastic.  My dad and me, we don’t do anything like that together.  Though I have helped him a little with a few of his books.”  Cas said.

 

“Your dad’s a writer?”  Dean didn’t remember Charlie saying she had an uncle that was.

 

“He writes in science journals and he wrote a couple of books on quantum physics.”  Cas replied.  Dean had started the car but had not yet put it in gear.  Instead, he found himself staring at Cas.  Maybe he _didn’t_ want to know if the handsome college student was into guys.  Not if he was helping his dad write books in freaking _quantum physics_.

 

“That’s…cool.”  Dean was at a loss for how to respond, so he pulled away from the curb.  The car fell silent.

 

“So, Dean’s going to school for engineering.”  Charlie piped up from the backseat.  Cas was looking at him again, Dean could feel the man’s eyes on him.

 

“Oh?  Fascinating.  What area exactly?  Chemical?  Nuclear?” 

 

“Civil.”  Dean replied.  Why did he suddenly feel stupid?

 

“Oh, that’s wonderful.  I have a cousin on my mother’s side that is a civil engineer.”  Cas didn’t seem to catch Dean’s discomfort.  They were already almost to the comic book store.  He’d rather get his geek on than flirt anyway.

 

“So I’m going to drop you guys off in front and park in the church lot down the street.  I don’t want to risk Baby getting hit.”  Dean said.  He had cut Charlie off before she could say something else, he could see her about to open her mouth in the rear view mirror.

 

“How does lunch afterwards sound?  My treat.”  Cas glanced back at his cousin who gave a slow nod, even as she continued to frown at Dean.

 

“Yeah, sure.”  Dean replied absently.

 

He dropped them off in front of the comic book store and drove the one block down to the Lutheran church where he knew his car would be safe in the parking lot.  On the walk to the store he took his time.  Charlie and Cas were already inside, Cas looking through issues of something while Charlie was checking out some new collectible items.  Dean wandered over to the DC Comics section to check and see if there was anything new added for Batman.  Deeming there wasn’t, he switched over to Marvel to look through X-Men. 

 

“You like X-Men?  That’s my favorite.”

 

Dean looked up to see Cas standing there with a thick graphic novel in hand.

 

“Yeah, it’s one of mine too.”  He continued flipping through, looking for the latest edition.  When he found it, he pulled it out.

 

“Look what I found.”  Charlie came bouncing over with a box that she held up so they could see. 

 

“Whoa, is that an original?”  Dean gasped as he took it from her.

 

“Yep.  Princess Leia, Return of the Jedi, first edition.  And it’s _mine_!  I just paid for it.”  She said proudly.

 

“You should consider getting your collection insured, it’s quite valuable.”  Cas leaned in as Dean turned the box over to check the serial number.

 

“He’s right.  I already did that, soon as I turned 18.”  Dean agreed.

 

“There’s more stuff that just came in, if you guys are interested.  Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings…”  Charlie must have said the right thing because Cas jerked his head up suddenly.

 

“Lord of the Rings?  Where?”

 

“That display case right there.”  She pointed.  Cas hurried off to investigate, leaving Charlie alone with Dean.

 

“What is your problem?”  She demanded, careful to keep her voice down so only Dean heard her.  He frowned as he handed the box back.

 

“I don’t know what you mean.”  He lied.  Her eyes narrowed as she snatched the box back and put it in her bag.

 

“I call bullshit.  You like him.  So why the sudden cold shoulder?”

 

“Charlie, chill!  I’m not interested!”  He couldn’t even look her in the face with that lie. 

 

“You’re the worst liar.  He’s bi too, you know.  And he’s definitely interested in you, so what is your issue?”

 

“Drop it, Char.”  He warned.

 

“Not.  Going. To.”  She ground out.  With that she turned on her heels and stomped away, heading over to her cousin.  Dean just shook his head and went back to his search.  Charlie butted her head in too darn much.

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

The afternoon in the comic book store was pleasant and Dean almost forgot about Charlie’s threat. 

 

Almost.

 

They drove to The Roadhouse which was Dean and Charlie’s go to place for food.  The owner, Ellen was his mom’s best friend and they always got something for free when they went, even if it was just an order of fries, and the food was phenomenal.  They were seated at one of the circular booths and Cas sat between them, which put Dean and Charlie both on the ends.  Ellen’s daughter Jo appeared, apron around her waist and notepad in hand.

 

“Hi, guys.  Brought someone new?  Who’s this?”  She smiled at Cas who smiled back.

 

“This my cousin Cas and he is _way_ too old for you.”  Charlie said with a laugh. Jo shot her a look of annoyance before rolling her eyes.

 

“They always are.  So what can I get you all to drink?  Cokes as usual?”

 

“I’ll have an iced tea.  Unsweet.”  Cas said.  Dean and Charlie both mumbled that Coke was fine and Jo nodded before leaving to get their drinks.  Ignoring Dean completely, Charlie turned to her cousin.

 

“So, have you started looking for work?  For after you graduate, I mean.”

 

“Yes, I’ve actually applied all over the state, and in a few other states.  There’s not a whole lot of openings available in my field, unfortunately, and most are already taken.  I may end up falling back on my minor until something comes up.  Cas replied.

 

“Not a lot in the physics field?”  Dean asked.  Cas cocked his head, his expression one of puzzlement.

 

“I’m not going into physics.  My degrees are in botany, English Lit, and education.  I’m minoring in education and Lit.”

 

“I thought you said you helped your dad with his books.”  Now Dean was confused.

 

“Yes, with the editing.  Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, that kind of thing.  I don’t know much about physics.  I disappointed my dad when I barely pulled a D in the class in high school, and I didn’t take it in college at all.”  Cas laughed and Charlie joined in.  Dean felt stupid now.  He’d totally misunderstood earlier.  Jo appeared, setting their drinks down in front of them.  Cas was the perusing the menu as he explained his degrees but he set it back in the holder on the table when Jo reappeared.

 

“You guys ready to order?”  She asked.

 

“The usual for me.”  Dean looked over at Charlie who nodded in agreement.

 

“Same.”

 

“And you, Mr. Handsome but too old for me?”  Jo teased.  Cas laughed at that.

 

“I’ll have a bacon cheeseburger, no onion, add ketchup.  With fries.”

 

“So…same as Dean.  Got it.”  Jo scribbled the orders down on her pad.  “Food will be out shortly.”  With that she turned and left.

 

“How old is she?  Not that I’m interested, but that was funny.”  Cas asked. 

 

“She just turned 15.  Her mom owns the place and she has her worker’s permit.”  Charlie replied.

 

“Whoa, yeah, _way_ too young.  Not my type anyway.”  Cas’ eyes briefly flickered over to Dean who was busy checking out the dessert menu.

 

“Hey, Char, El added the chocolate pie like I asked.  And cherry.”  He murmured.

 

“Sweet!  I want some of the cherry.” 

 

“Do they have pecan?  Or maybe blueberry?”  Cas asked.  Dean looked up and smiled.

 

“You like pie?”

 

“I love it.  Better than cake, hands down.”

 

Dean smiled wider as he passed the dessert menu over to him.

 

El serves about 6 different kinds of pie.  Well, 8 now if you include the chocolate and the cherry.”

 

Cas took the menu to read over.

 

“These all sound good, even the brownie sundae.”

 

“So how many years are there between you guys?”   Dean decided he wanted to know more about Cas after all.  Even if the guy was still too smart for him.

 

“Four.”  Charlie replied.

 

“And his dad is related to who, your mom?”  Dean asked.

 

“Yep.  My mom’s a Novak.”  She confirmed.

 

“Oh, cool.  I have cousins on my mom’s side but they’re dicks.  I can’t stand to be around them.”  Dean really didn’t like them, especially Christian, the ass kisser.

 

“Charlie and I get along well, but we have other cousins we don’t get along with.  And she hates my sister Naomi.  Hell, I don’t even like Naomi.  She’s so homophobic it’s ridiculous.  No one knows where she gets it either.”  Cas looked at Charlie who was nodding.

 

“She’s a snob.  Tells me every time I see her how I’m leading such a sinful life and that I should, and quote “seriously consider changing my ways and trying to resist my homosexual urges so that I might be forgiven by God.”  Can you believe that crap?” 

 

“Wow, she sounds like a real piece of work.”  Dean was glad Sam didn’t give 2 shits whether he was dating a guy or a girl. 

 

“She has told me the same thing.  She’s a big part of why I transferred to KSU for my major.  I needed away from her.  She’s my sister and I love her, but I don’t like her.”  Cas said.

 

So Charlie hadn’t been lying.  Cas did like guys.

 

“I just have Sam, my little brother, and he doesn’t care who I date as long as they don’t talk down to him.  He hates condescending people.”  Dean chuckled.  “He’s had a crush on Jo for like, 3 years now, but she won’t give him the time of day.  I think in time she will though.  Once he hits puberty.”

 

“How old is he?”  Cas asked.

 

“He just turned 14 last month.  Thinks he’s all grown up now.”  Charlie giggled.  “He’s a sweet kid.”

 

They chatted until the food arrived, and then talked some more as they ate.  The entire time Dean found himself wondering if he had a snowball’s chance in hell with Cas.  More than a few times he felt eyes on him and turned to see the man looking at him.  Cas didn’t shy away, he simply smiled and continued eating. 

 

When the meal was over, Jo returned to collect their plates.

 

“Dessert?”  She asked.

 

“Pie.”  Dean replied.  Jo snorted.

 

“Well, duh.”

 

“Can I please try your blueberry pie?”  Cas asked.

 

She nodded and wrote it down.

 

“Cherry for me.”  Charlie said.

 

“Chocolate here.”  Dean added.  “And a slice of cherry.”

 

“Wow, so surprised you want 2 slices.”  Jo murmured as she walked away.

 

“Sarcastic little thing, isn’t she?”  Cas laughed.

 

“You have no idea.”  Dean shook his head but he was laughing too.  “I think me and Sammy are rubbing off on her.”

 

The pie was delivered, on the house, and they dug in.  Cas raved over the blueberry but actually groaned when Charlie let him try a bite of her cherry.  Wanting to hear that sound again, Dean offered some of the chocolate.

 

“Oh, they make fantastic pies here!”  Cas exclaimed.

 

“Ellen uses my mom’s recipes, but the chocolate one isn’t my mom’s, that I know of.”  Dean said.  “It’s really good though.”

 

After they finished and Cas had paid, they left.  Dean planned to just drop them off and go home but at the curb Cas hesitated.

 

“Do you have to go home?”  He asked.

 

“Not really.”  Dean shrugged.  His parents were at work and he was off the rest of the day himself.  Only Sam might be floating around and that was unlikely.  He was probably with his buddy Kevin, nerding out over some new anime one of them had discovered.

 

“Would you like to come in and watch a movie?  I rented a couple from Redbox this morning.”  Cas was looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

 

“Uh, sure.  I need to park though.”

 

Cas surprised him by remaining in the car and just closing his door.  Dean parked further up the street, not wanting to block in Charlie’s parents by parking in the driveway.  Together they walked back to the house.

 

“So what did you rent?”  Dean asked as they walked into the house.

 

“X-Men Apocalypse, and the newest Star Trek.  Charlie saw them both already though.”  Cas frowned.  “I’d like someone to watch them with and she has a bad habit of telling me what’s about to happen if she has already seen the movie.”

 

Dean felt his heart suddenly start jack hammering in his throat.  Cas wanted to watch the movies with him?  Alone? 

 

“I haven’t seen the new Star Trek yet.  I keep meaning to.  And I don’t talk through movies.”

 

Cas looked back and smiled.  “Good, I’m glad.”

 

They started for the stairs, Dean following slowly behind Cas.  He guessed that Charlie was already in her room because she was nowhere to be seen.  Passing by her door they could hear her on the phone and the way she was talking told them both she was on with her girlfriend, Gilda.  The spare bedroom had been set up for Cas and apparently he had brought his things from his parents’ house because there was a television on top of the dresser along with 2 game systems and a bookcase filled to overflowing with all kinds of books.  There was nowhere to sit, besides the bed or the floor.  Cas was messing with one of the game systems and talking.

 

“We can go downstairs and watch them or we can stay up here.  If we go down there though my aunt will be home soon and kick us out anyway, and then we’d just be back up here anyway.”

 

“Here’s fine.”  Dean said a touch too quickly.  He caught the way the other man smirked as he slid the DVD into the system.

 

“I’d make us some popcorn but I’m still stuffed.  I can get us soda though.”  Cas offered.

 

“I can grab those.  What do you want?  Root beer or Coke?”  Dean knew the Bradbury house as well as he knew his own, and he knew what kinds of sodas they kept in the fridge.

 

“Root beer is fine.”  Cas replied.

 

Dean left the room, stopping outside Charlie’s room hoping to ask her what exactly why she was leaving him alone with her cousin but she was still talking on the phone, and she sounded somewhat upset.  Not wanting to bother her, he continued on down to the kitchen to grab the cans of soda.  Passing her room on the way back up had him frowning.  Her door was closed and he could hear her arguing with someone on the phone.  With a shrug he continued on to Cas’ room. 

 

Cas was stretched out in the bed, a wireless controller in his hand.  He smiled when Dean walked in and patted the seat next to him.

 

“Don’t worry, I don’t bite.”

 

Dean chuckled as he sat down and handed the can of root beer to him.  He settled back against the pillows and waited for Cas to skip past the previews and start the movie.  To his delight, Cas had put in Star Trek first.  He opened his can of Coke and let himself get pulled into the movie. 

 

When the credits began to roll, Cas turned to look at him.

 

“That was not as good as the first 2, but I still liked it.  What did you think?”

 

“I agree.  And the first one is still my favorite.  But this was good too.”  Dean agreed.  Cas nibbled at his lower lip for a moment.  At some point during the movie he had drawn his knees up to his chest and his arms were wrapped around them.  It made him look a lot smaller than his almost 6ft frame really was.  It also had the effect of making him look absolutely adorable.

 

“Dean, would I be out of place if I asked you out?” 

 

Dean was caught off guard by the question, but got over it as soon as he realized what Cas was asking.

 

“You want to go out?  With _me_?”

 

Cas smiled and released his legs, instead curling them underneath himself so that he was sitting on his knees.

 

“Yes, I like you.  Charlie told me a lot about you before we met, but meeting you in person, you’re even better than I expected.  I’d like to get to know you better.  Without my cousin acting as a buffer.  Unless you don’t want that.”  Cas looked worried and Dean didn’t want him worrying.

 

“No!  I mean, yes, I’d like to go out with you.  Without Charlie tagging along.  You sure you want to go out with me?”  Dean couldn’t believe Cas was honestly interested in _him_.

 

“Yes, I’m sure.  When are you available next?”  Cas’ fingers flexed in his lap for a moment before he reached over to take Dean’s hand.  Dean squeezed it reassuringly.

 

“I’m off after 5 tomorrow.  But I’d like a shower first.  We could aim for 6?  Maybe 6:30?”

 

“Yes, that would work perfectly.  I took a part time job at the library until classes start in August, and I get off at 4, but I have a few errands to run.  Could you pick me up at 6:30?  I-I don’t have a car of my own yet.”  Cas said.

 

“You got it.”  Dean smiled.  He had a date tomorrow with the hottest guy he’d seen in a long while.  _And_ the guy liked most of the same stuff he did.  Silence fell between them for a moment before Cas was scooting even closer.

 

“Do you want to stay and watch X-Men?  We could order pizza.”

 

Dean smiled wide.

 

“Yeah, Cas, I’d like that.”

 

“I’ll order food now.”  Cas pulled out his phone while Dean switched the movies.  When he got back in the bed, Cas moved closer until Dean could put his arm around him. 

 

Two hours later, when Charlie realized Dean’s car was still parked out front but he hadn’t come looking for her again, she went looking for him.  Finding him making out with her favorite cousin wasn’t what she’d expected.  Oh, who was she kidding?  She had _totally_ seen this coming.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcome!
> 
>  **Day 15 Prompt:** Teaching Each Other How to Do Something
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
